Deere vs Kubota

David USMC · Apr 10, 2000

I love John Deere.. Comparing a 4200 hydro 4x4 to a Kubota 7500. I have 1 and half acres to tend.. mainly mowing...with a small garden that requires tilling. Both tractors would have a mower, loader, and tiller. Going with the Kubota would save 4000 grand. I dont know if I need the extra hp or the direct inject. I love green....maybe money more.. Please help. Thank you in advance.

Anonymous Poster · Apr 11, 2000

I two am considering a JD 4200, however I have five acres to take care of. I am considering the 4100 which really offers a nice package, however for me the 4200 makes a little more sense. I would think that a 4100 would be the largest you would want to consider and maybe even take a look at a Kubota BX series. I am even looking at the Kubota 2410 and 2710 as comparable units to the 4200. I don't think you are making a fair comparison by looking at the B7500.

David USMC · Apr 11, 2000

Thanks for your imput. My Kubota dealer told me that a customer approached him with a 4200 and wanted to use a 900lb Ryan plugger. The dealer told him that the hitch wouldnt lift the plugger. They did a test and sure enough the wheels up front came off the ground. I also considered the 4100 but decided that since it was a Yanmar tractor that if I wanted to by that model I may as well by a Yanmar from a local dealer who carries most of the Japanese compacts. I prefer, however to stick with well known warranties and service. I'll look at the 2410. Thanks

MChalkley · Apr 11, 2000

Um, pardon the pun, but I think you're comparing apples and oranges there. I love John Deere, too, but I own a Kubota. When John Deere comes out with a tractor in the same size package as my L4310HST that is a better tractor, I'll probably switch, unless Kubota does the same thing. The point is, I don't have any brand loyalty whatsoever when it comes to tractors - I just want the best there is in the size I need. The biggest reason I'd rather have a John Deere is heritage, a purely sentimental reason. But sentimentalism doesn't get the job done. I think you're doing the right thing to base your decision on a combination of features and price, but make sure you're comparing equivalent tractors.

W5FL · Apr 12, 2000

I am sure that each of us went through the same agony of comparing the big 3 or 4 tractors out there and arrived at our own decisions. I also wanted a John Deere so bad I could tast it and wound up buying a Kubota. Best decision I ever made.

Unfortunately tractors are not cars in that you can just take a test drive and make a comparision. There are a lot of features that are really really important and the marketing hype stresses what they want you to compare. Some of us got to figure this out by owning a couple of tractors and learning what we liked, hated, and needed and were really armed when it came to deciding what we wanted and what we would put up with. Nothing is easy either. I really wondered about spending the money for 4WD. I am sure glad that I got my tractor with 4WD now and now wonder why I even thought about not getting it.

I had a Massey and you could NOT have anything on the three point and use the loader. Only added about double the work to do anything. The brochures look really good and the dealer will only stress the good points. It is heavy and less expensive. Very difficult to get on and off with 4 levers between your legs, brakes wouldn't stop you going down a hill. Front end was not designed for a front end loader, etc.

I used a John Deere and was told that all the farmers used John Deers. Still wanted one, but had a lot of maintenance problems including a dealer that after 3 trips back to rebuild the injector pump (expensive), could never make the tractor run the same after the rebuild. Replaced all tie rod ends (very expensive). Lot of other things broke and had to be replaced. May be normal, but seemed excessive. Still wanted a new one.

Local dealer for NH also sold Deere and continually badmouthed NH. Didn't have much stock and none like I wanted. Finally found some at the stock show. Their line seemed to look like a wide variety of tractor makes all colored blue. Some were really modern and some were not. Very hard to find out what you got and you had to be really careful that you got what you wanted.

I had never even seen a Kubota up close and had never driven one. Finally decided on it because it had every feature that I wanted and none of the stuff that I didn't like. I ordered a 2000 model and bought it sight unseen based on the features and seeing the 1999 versions. I now have 25 hours on it. It really works great. Everything about it works just as I would like for it to work and so far I have searched high and low for something that I don't like or doesn't work and I can't find anything. Although very difficult to do exact price comparision between brands, I got a better tractor and it cost $3000 less than the John Deere. Maybe the color in the paint is from the green in the dollar bills after all - as someone told me on this board before I bought mine.

GaryK · Apr 12, 2000

I too went through the agony of deciding between green or orange. I even made lists of comparisons between the 4100 HST and the B2410 which was the closest I could find to the 4100. I did find that the 2410 does not come with the hydraulics for the loader(controls), they come on the loader and therefore the loader for a 2410 costs a whole lot more, making the JD look better. Also found the JD was a bit more user freindly and built a little better. Most JD dealers carry what you need, and there are a lot more of them around. you can't compare the B7300-7500 with the 4100, two different tractors. The only drawback the 4100 has that I see is that you cannot put a backhoe on it, you can on a 2410. I guess it comes down to what color you like.

RodT · Apr 13, 2000

I too went through the agony of deciding which tractor to buy last fall. I decided on a B2710.
The decision came down to either the B2710 or 4200JD. It turned out to be an easy decision,
as I will use it part of the time to mow around a small lake--with Peat moss banks---the JD was
too heavy---if I were buying a tractor to use either a backhoe or some serious loader work--very
heavy lifting I think Deere has the edge with the added weight. In technology the Kubota is light years ahead--the engine and drivetrain are so advanced over Deere its amazing--fuel consumption on a Deere--plan on using 15-20% more--its not just the weight its also the engine design, Yanmar makes good motors--just not a smooth as a Kubota.

Anonymous Poster · May 23, 2000

sat. was a good day.took del. of my 4200 hydro,loader,box,513 cutter.What a fine day!!!Outstanding machine!!!

JimBinMI · May 23, 2000

David,

I've read your many posts and know that you are really struggling with which tractor. Have you considered the weight of the unit since you will be mowing? I know that I'm slanted to Blue, but you should really take a look at the New Holland TC18 or TC21D, they will handle all of the jobs that you want to do with ease. They are rated for larger implements than their Kubota counterparts and weigh less than the Deeres! We have a 4200 at my work and it's larger than you will ever need for 1.5 acres.

Good Luck, as always, "Just that Blue guy's opinions"!

JimBinMI

We boys and our toys!

M. Sullivan · May 24, 2000

Suggest conducting a general net search by brand, and looking at the various forums for owner experiences before deciding. I did and what an eye opener: JD4000 series have had a LOT of problems. Understand they do fix them, but says volumes about their design and manufacturing focus. Ditto customer experiences dealing with problems--not real good. V. surprised to find only 1 dissatisfied orange customer--who later was thrilled when they replaced the machine with the latest equivalent model at no cost.

Bottom line, buy what your gut tells you--if you don't you will forever second guess your decision.

Chose the 2710 based on analysis (that's how my gut works), and couldn't be happier.

_RaT_ · May 25, 2000

I've been analyzing, researching, and trying various tractors. Rumour has it that John Deere is working feavorishly to come up with a better hydrostatic drive. If your going hydro, (HST) consider this in your decision. The John Deere HST is much noisier and far less smooth then the Kubota, in fact, there is no comparison. Hopefully they will come up with a great new HST. Unlike a few folks, most of us won't be going out to exchange our tractors when another manufactuer comes out with something better, for this reason, making the right decision is so important to us. My purchase will have to take me well past another manufactuers improvement on whatever model I decide on. Like most people with some common sense, I want to know what all the options are before I purchase, and for the most part, that means looking at most manufactuers products. When I look at tractors, I'm not color blind, but I am most certainly open to all makes. Rat...

Anonymous Poster · May 28, 2000

I almost bought the JD 4400. I had my checkbook with me. I drove the JD 4400 and the HST pedals were not only too far to the right on the floor deck, but when I let off either forward or reverse, the tractor would come to a stop, like NOW. The Kubota is a different story. Smooth stops with HST (foot off) pedal. Better position on floor/deck too. My concern is the difference in power between the JD 4400 and the Kubota 2910. The weight is also substantially different. I'm leaning heavily towards the B2910. I think the loader on a B2910 is more sound than what JD offers. The DI vs IDI on the engine is something I'm struggling with. DI is much preferred, which JD has. - JayD

Anonymous Poster · May 29, 2000

Mark, you and another fellow both said you wanted JD's because they were JD's. Isn't that like wanting a small car and going to look at Ford's because your Dad had a 57 Ford? The new small Fords at least a couple years ago were built by KIA in Korea. The JD may have green paint but you might as well just buy a Yanmar and get a couple of Green stickers to put on them. I think a lot of us old enough to have grandparents that had farms have that same feeling for the big Green from childhood memories, but these compact JD's aren't. Heck, the last couple of CAT excavators had Japanese writing all over everything. It really is true, we can't go home again.

Brand Blind in Washington

Del

Bird · May 29, 2000

JayD, there has been a considerable amount of discussion on the merits (or lack thereof) of the DI vs IDI. You say DI is much preferred. Why? I'm afraid I still have no idea whether or why one is "better" than the other.

Bird

Anonymous Poster · May 29, 2000

DI is a cleaner more efficient burn. Metering can also be more exact with the associated fuel pump (high pressure). Look at all the latest Diesel engines, you'll see "DI" somewhere in the name (i.e., Ford's 7.3L DI Turbo Diesel, VW's DI Turbo Diesel, etc.). - JayD

Anonymous Poster · May 29, 2000

DI is a cleaner more efficient burn. Metering can also be more exact with the associated fuel pump (high pressure). Look at all the latest Diesel engines, you'll see "DI" somewhere in the name (i.e., Ford's 7.3L DI Turbo Diesel, VW's DI Turbo Diesel, etc.).

David USMC · May 29, 2000

Del
hit the nail on the head. I worked on an Uncles farm from the time I was twelve until I went to college. We had everything from JD model M's to Jd 4010's. I think we had eight of these tractors including a massive JD combine. I guess my memories influenced my early decisions. I have been communicating with Bird and others and they have really opened my eyes. On another website a fellow replied to my post and told me he had an early production model of the 4400 with hst. He,of course had to replace the front axle, his transmission failed...had to be replaced and his dash was fogging. Yes the dealer did correct the problems but, why would Deere but such a product on the market..QQQ. Ive come to the conclusion that the best thing about this series of tractors is the Yanmar engine. Of course, small things like the float seat, the mowing deck..really nice, quick attachment of the front end loader are very nice however, if the transmission is shot what good are they. In closing the fellow who had the 4400 had been a loyal Kubota owner for ten years..said he spent all of ten dollars on them. When asked if he would buy Deere again even with prompt warranty service he said no. I think Ill just buy the Deere model of the 4010. Hope this helps.

Bird · May 29, 2000

OK, JayD, I sure don't have enough knowledge to agree or disagree./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Bird

Anonymous Poster · May 29, 2000

In theory direct injection may offer a cleaner more efficient burn, in practice that may not always be true. Both methods for delivering fuel have been around for some time. For direct injection to be cleaner and more efficient it needs to be controled exactly and requires many high tech components. While cutting edge fuel controls may be available on cars, they are usually not available on compact tractors. The first small diesel engine to meet the CARB emission requirements was the indirect injected engine in the Kubota B2400. There is almost no visible smoke from this engine except for a small puff when starting cold. That's more than good enough for me.

Andy

MChalkley · May 29, 2000

Hear, hear! Or is it 'Here, here', or maybe even 'Hear, here', or I suppose even 'Here, hear'...

Anyway, I think that hits the nail on the head. Tractors don't have electronic injection and such, and I'm not too sure that's a bad thing, personally. It's nice to have something on the place that burns fuel and isn't adversely affected by cosmic ray events and sunspot cycles. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Besides, as you say, if it doesn't smoke, and has enough power to do the job, it's kind of hard to gripe about its efficiency.

Mark